Victory For Third Parties

These were fairly big events for the country and gave the nation a snapshot of the concerns of those areas. All three sought and selected change. CNN exit polls taken in Virginia found "health care was the most important issue for 24 percent of the voters, while 15 percent named taxes and transportation was mentioned by 7 percent." The same poll found "26 percent of New Jersey residents said property taxes was also a major issue, while another 20 percent mentioned corruption." CNN's polls also found most of those who voted Republican did so out of concerns having nothing to do with legislation in Washington. (http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/11/04/election.analysis/index.html) New York's 23rd district was decided by many factors, but unlike the other two included to a much greater extent issues currently being considered in Washington.

What made the 23rd district in New York so interesting among other things was the battle between conservatives represented by the Conservative Party and Republicans. The district's Republican party heads selected Dede Scozzafava and Republican National Party Chairman Michael Steele endorsed her giving her the party's official seal of approval. However as most people have heard a third party candidate from the Conservative Party, Douglas L. Hoffman, came in on a much more conservative platform than the Republican and it really became a referendum on how well the Republican Party represented conservative concerns.

Celebrity figures from the right came to the side of Mr. Hoffman. They campaigned hard and consistently. Sarah Palin campaigned on his behalf and demonstrated her willingness to "go rogue" and stick by her principles. Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck kept the heat turned up on the Republican candidate in their usual style berating Republicans for not being conservative. Governor Tim Pawlenty from Minnesota also came to help the cause of the newly popular Conservative Party.

As major Democratic figures did not come to campaign for their candidate, Bill Owens, much until the last days of the race it became a showcase of the power of an independent party and their ability to rally voters. Despite the hoopla surrounding the three races of national focus being a referendum on President Obama the only race that carried any legislative weight at all in Washington was the New York race. Only with this race could an elected representative vote on behalf of those who elected them to office in Congress.

This was the reason so many holding strong views about current national policy showed up and campaigned so vigorously. They campaigned like this was last year's campaign. They campaigned like this was a referendum on an national level on their beliefs. They campaigned with passion and grassroots activism fueled by in a small part by Tea Party activists and all the money from health care corporations that follow behind them. But, it was mostly fueled by the interests of true conservatives not those subscribing to corporatism or anything else, but conservatives - today's conservatives.

With no real grassroots level campaigning from the Obama machine and no appearances by the president himself they really had the highest level of visibility. With those Republican party leaders who initially backed their candidate failing to support Dede Scozzafava the independent voices remained loudest. As such this was not a victory for the Tea Party activists. This was not a victory for celebrities like Gov. Palin, Gov Pawlenty, Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh.

No. This was a victory for the power of the voter's voice. This showed Americans do not have to be confined to a hemmed-in mindset dictating there must only be a two party system. No. It shows when Americans want change, when they want a new direction when that which is becoming old becomes outdated they will choose change.

It shows passions of people cannot be restricted to a two party system. It shows those snickering for years about how stupid American voters were and that they could be coraled like sheep, herded like cattle and led by simply dangling carrots in front of their noses were wrong. We want change which comes with fresh faces and new starts.

This election in New York was a referendum on the two party system. It spoke loud and clear a change is in the wind. Conservatives specifically took that bold and dramatic step to say "we will do it." They broke free and clear and they were successful.

Surging forward with a voice refusing to be squelched, hey proved change does not have to be confined to the limits of a single party. Anyone trying to downplay the significance of the accomplishments of the Conservative Party or who tries to say they were Republicans is simply in denial and scared. Congratulations to the Conservative Party of New York's 23rd district let this be the start of something new.

To read about my inspiration for this article go to www.lawsuitagainstuconn.com.